Two stage pulp refining machine



Aug. 23, 1960 A. J. HAUG TWO STAGE. PULP REFINING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

INVENTOR. 42.5"

ATTORNEY Aug. 23, 1960 A. J. HAUG TWO STAGE PULP REFINING MACHINE 2 Shee ts-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1957 FIG.9

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY TWO STAGE PULP REFINING MACHINE Anton J. Hang, 64 Taylor St., Nashua, NH.

Filed May 29, 1957, Ser. No. 662,497

Claims. (Cl. 241-46) This invention relates in general to pulp and papermaking machines with reference being had particularly to machines for dispersing and refining the fibre bundles produced from wood chips.

For example, machines suitable for carrying out operations of this nature are described in U.S. Patents, Nos. 2,674,162 and 2,719,463, wherein I have disclosed fibre working roll means of unique character. These machines which are presently being manufactured and sold and which are hereinafter referred to as Kollermill machines, have proven to be of great value in the de-fiben'ng of wood chips in semi-chemical pulping. When used for this purpose, these machines deliver a semi-pulp consisting of loose fibre bundles which can be further Worked up into finished pulp by separate machines such as Jordan or Disc Mills. This secondary operation can be carried out effectively since the fibre bundles have been opened and partly de-fibered by the rolling action of the patented machines above noted.

In other applications of machines described in U.S. Patents 2,674,162 and 2,719,463, the fibrous materials may also be advantageously handled at so-called high consistencies as, for example, 20-30% dry pulp or even higher consistencies. In such cases, the discharged pulp is in the form of the flakes consisting of individual fibres pressed together and squeezed out by the action of the rolls. These fibre flakes are dissolved and dispersed as the pulp goes through successive pumps and screens.

It is a general object of the present invention to improve techniques and machines for dispersing and refining fibrous materials of various types. More specifically, it is an object of the invention to devise as a new combination fibre brushing means which can be formed as an integral part of the machines of the above described patents for extending the fibre refining capabilities of such machines whereby either partly defibered bundles of fibres, such as are obtained from semi-chemical pulping, or the flakes obtained fro-m working high consistency pulp may be dispersed and brushed out to provide a finished pulp. In this way, there is eliminated the need for using separate machines for completing the dispersion of fibre bundles and for carrying out pulp finishing operations.

With the foregoing objectives in mind, I have conceived of a method of refining partly defibered or flaked material in which fibre bundles, at the time at which they have just been partly opened by the mechanical components of the Kollermill machine above described, are immediately subjected to a novel drawing or brushing operation whereby the partly defibered bundles are drawn out and desirably separated into component fibres.

I have further discovered that I may carry out this inventive concept in a commercially significant manner by means of a pair of special rotary refining elements which I have devised and constructed as an integral part of a Kollermill machine. These rotary refining elements, constructed in accordance with the invention, may further be, in part, actuated by a rotating section of the Kollermill and, in some cases, may also be independently States Patent" These and other novel features will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of one preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig.2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken transversely of the machine shown in Fig. 1, and particularly a revolving member attached to the machine;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing an arrangement of pulp working discs wherein both of the disc members are driven;

Fig. 4 is another fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a disc arrangement in which only one of the finishing discs is driven and this driven disc comprises a separate outer plate mechanism;

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary complementary views of the finishing disc members indicated in Figs. 1-4 and illustrating particularly one form of brushing surface which may be employed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 7 is a detail cross-sectional view further illustrating the finishing discs of Figs. 5 and 6 arranged in working relationship to one another;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view showing one of the brush elements as viewed from a side thereof;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view more fully disclosing the disc mounting arrangement of Fig. l; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the disc arrangement of Fig. 1, particularly showing the inlet structure for conducting material into the space between the disc members.

In my improved method, a mass of fibrous bodies, such as chips, knots and the like, is caused to move in a circular path of movement, as is more fully described in Patent 2,674,162, so that a relatively thin circular stream or layer of stock is held against a cylindrical supporting means by means of centrifugal forces. This circular stream of stock is periodically squeezed and turned over by means of rolls and a series of deflecting vanes with which the stock is caused to continually come into contact. Thus, a stream of partially defibered material is progressively advanced in directions axially of the stream along distances which are directly proportional to the speed of rotation of the vanes.

In accordance with the present invention, partly defibered stock which has advanced to a point where it is about to leave the cylindrical chamber, is abruptly diverted in a radially directed manner and caused to move along a confined circular passageway at opposite sides of which are fibre engaging surfaces. The partly opened fibre bundles or flakes, as they pass between these opposite engaging surfaces, tend, at one point or another, to become engaged and temporarily held so that they may be drawn and brushed out in a highly desirable manner.

Considering in detail the apparatus which I have devised for carrying out the method, attention is directed to Fig. 1. As will be seen from an inspection of this figure, a revolving cylinder 10 is provided for receiving fibrous materials such as Wood chips, knots, and similar substances. This cylindrical casing 10 is entirely supported on an upper roll member 14 in turn mounted on a shaft 16 journalled in bearings 18 and 20. The latter bearing members are located in end frames 22 and 24, and at one end of shaft 16 is a belt drive 26 operated from a motor 28. Also driven by the motor 28 is a pulley drive 27 for revolving the cylinder 10. Also provided in the revolving cylinder 10 is a lower roll 42 and a rotary screw 40.

By means of the arrangement described the roll 14 may be driven at varying speeds and the cylindrical casing is revolved with this roll. A slurry of chips, knots,

or other stock is normally introduced into the cylindrical casing through an inlet member 30 which communicates with a conical or tapered ring body 32 fitted at one end of the cylindrical casing, as shown in Fig. 1. Stock entering the inlet 30 is fed on to conveyor flights 34 on the shaft 16 and these conveyor flights advance the stock in a direction from left to right, as viewed in Fig. l, finally dumping he material in to the lower section of the revolving casing.

Once the stock has been delivered into the revolving casing, it is immediately picked up and whirled around in a thin substantially circular stream which is held against the inner periphery of the casing by centrifugal forces. Since the cylindrical casing is a relatively heavy steel body, it will be apparent that a considerable crushing force is exerted on chips and knots which are passed between the cylindrical casing and roller 14. It will be further obvious that this crushing force will be repeated to provide pulses occurring in rapid succession, depending, to some extent, upon the speed of rotation of the roll and casing. .Stock thus treated may leave the revolving cylindrical casing 10 by means of an outlet 38 provided at the .righthand end of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 1.

The screw 40 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has its extremities mounted between the end frames 22 and 24 in a position such that the longitudinal axis of the screw lies in a horizontal plane passing through the longitudinal (is of the revolving casing 10- when the latter member is in a position such as that shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The screw is further positioned in a manner such that its flights are in rolling contact with the periphery of the upper roll 14 so that the flights scrape away fibrous material which seeks to collect on the surfaces of the roll 14-. Also, the screw element is chosen of a diameter such that when the axis of the screw is located, as above described, the flights thereof will lie in very close proximity to the inner periphery of the cylindrical casing 10 without actually coming into contact with it at any point, as may be betterseen from an inspection of Fig. 2.

The lower roll 42 is, in accordance with the invention, mounted on a shaft 44, the ends of which are received in bearings vertically adjustable in hydraulic units t and 52, illustrated in Fig. 1. At one end of the shaft 44 is fixed a pulley 54 driven by belts 56 and a motor 28. A separate motor, not shown, may be employed to furnish independent driving means for the screw 40 when the rolls 14 and 42 are rotated by means of the motor 28.

In accordance with the invention, I combine with the cylinder at the right-hand side thereof, as viewed in Fig. 1, a pair of refining elements consisting of a revolving circular disc 60 and a stationary disc 62. These discs are arranged, as shown in Fig. l closely adjacent to one another to define a narrow annular passageway 61.

The disc 60, in one form of the invention, is solidly secured to the cylinder 10 by screws as 64 and therefore is adapted to be rotated with this member. Around the inner peripheral edgeof this disc are formed a series of guide ribs 66 which function to guide and feed partly defibered material from the cylinder lit into the passageway 61. faces which may, for example, be comprised by a plate 68 fixed to the annular disc through which are formed a plurality of sharp edged orifices as 70. a

The stationary annular disc 62 may be supported independently of the cylinder 10 in any convenient manner such as, for example, that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10. A bracket 80 is rigidly secured to a part of the main frame 82, as best shown in Fig. 2, and this bracket member has supported thereon a circular plate 84. At separated intervals around this plate 84 are a series of lug plates as 85, 86, through which are threaded stud screws as 87. At the inner ends of these severalv stud screws 87 ismounted an outer casting member 88 Formed on the disc 60 are fibre engaging sur-' 4 which is adapted to overlie the rotating disc 60 being held in sealed relationship therewith by means of a flexible sealing member 90. The plate 84 can be adjusted by means of the screws 87 to vary the spacing of the disc members 60 and 62 so as to control the size of the passageway. The disc member 62 may, if desired, be secured to this circular plate 84 in a resiliently supported manner by means of rubber inserts 94 retained by holding bolts 96. This arrangement provides for the stationary disc, 62 yielding to increase the size of the passageway in the event that a foreign body such as a bolt or other relatively bulky object is passed through the system.

In addition to the resilient mounting of the disc supporting part 62, I may also provide a water reservoir chamber as formed in the member 62, as best shown in Fig. 9. Water moves into and out of this chamber 100 through a narrow passageway 102. The presence of a body of Water may, in some cases, be desired to vary the consistency of stock which is being worked between the members-68 and 72.

As the partly defibered material is fed out of the revolving cylinder =10 and enters the space between the two disc members 68 and 72, the annular ribs 66 engage the fibrous material and cause it to be moved in a circular stream with the fiber engaging edges of the members 68 and 72 tending to releasably grip and temporarily hold fiber bundles so that they become completely sep arated from One another. As the stock becomes fully Worked, it is passed out through the outlet member 38 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The fiber engaging surfaces may either consist of the orificed plates which comprise the members 68 and 72in Figs. 1, 2, 9 and 10 or I may employ other ,fiber engaging structures. For example, in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, I have shown fiber engaging plates 68' and 7,2 which may be bolted to the members 60 and 62, respectively, by means or" screws or bolts as 67 and 69'. On these fiber engaging plates 68' and 72', I provide a plurality of rows of diamond-shaped members which are denoted by the numerals 70' and 71' occurring in some predetermined pattern such as that shown in Figs. 5 and 6. When the plates 68' and 72 are arranged closely adjacent to one another, the diamondshaped fiber engaging projections 70' overlap the corresponding projections 71 of the plate 72', as best shown in Fig. 7. By means of this arrangement, it will be readily seen that fiber bundles will be engaged and drawn or brushed out in a very desirable manner so that they become completely opened up and individual fiber components separated from one another.

In using these fiber engaging plates with fiber engaging projections or orifices, as noted above, I may also provide for rotating both of the plate members. For example, in Fig. 3,, I have shown fiber engaging plates 68" and 72" with the latter plate being mounted on a circular supporting member 62". This member is furnished with some suitable means for providing rotative movement, as for example, a pulley section 1M which can be formed with a belt and driven from the common pulley drive of the machine. Rotation of the member 72" may be carried out in conjunction with rotation of the member 68" employing varying speeds and, if desired,'causing the direction of rotation of the fiber engaging members to either oppose one another or run in the samedirection. Still another arrangement is shown in Fig. 4 in which the circular refining elements are comprised by a pair of members, one of which, 119, is stationary and the other of which, 112, is rotating. In this arrangement, the section 114 is also stationary and has the member attached to it, whereas the member 112, is rotated as apart ofthe structure 116 employing any desirable drive means.

In Fig. 101 have disclosed another important form of the invention in which means are provided for maintaining the stock completely in suspension during the refining operation. As shown in Fig. 10, I may provide a circular bucket ring 120 which is located around a pair of refining discs 122 and 124. This bucket ring may be secured to the stationary part 126 of the machine and is adapted to comprise a fluid container which may overflow into the outlet section 128. By means of this arrangement, the fibrous stock may be held in suspension during the entire refining operation with the refining discs being submerged. I find that this makes possible a greatly improved refining and brushing action with respect to the fibres. If the fibres are not thus held in suspension, they tend to shed water very easily in response to centrifugal forces. The fibres then become dried and this, it is found, makes fibre separation much more difficult and may even cause the fibres to fracture. Brushing free stock held in suspension is much more effective and produces new results in refining paper stock.

Various other modifications and changes may be resorted to in arranging the fibre engaging discs of the invention and in actuating these members within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim 1s:

1. In a machine for continuous high speed processing of fibrous material, the combination of a revolving cylinder for receiving and working a fibrous material in the form of fibre bundles, means for exerting compressive forces against the inner wall of the cylinder and upon the fibre bundles contained within the cylinder to partially open said fibre bundles, said revolving cylinder acting to centrifugally displace said bundles at the end of said cylinder radially outward, screw means for progressively advancing the fibrous material along the revolving cylinder, a pair of fibre brushing elements supported in the path of travel of the fibrous material, said fibre brushing elements consisting of annular plates arranged in spaced apart relationship to one another, said plates presenting therebetween projecting fibre engaging surfaces which define lateral annular restricted passages for receiving the partially opened fibre bundles centrifugally displaced from said cylinder, one of said fibre brushing elements being fixed at one end of the revolving cylinder for rotation therewith, said last-named fibre brushing element including a portion positioned to receive and guide the centrifugally displaced fibre bundles from said cylinder radially outward to said restricted passages.

2. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that the annular plate fixed to the end of the revolving cylinder is provided with an annular series of spaced ribs connecting the inner face of the revolving cylinder and the projecting fibre engaging surfaces.

3. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that a water reservoir is provided adjacent one of the fibre brushing elements and passageways connect the water reservoir with the annular restricted passageway between the fibre brushing elements to facilitate the movement of the fibrous material and vary the consistency of the stock being worked between the fibre brushing elements.

4. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that one of the fibre brushing elements is resiliently mounted to permit yielding and increase in the size of the passageways between the fibre brushing elements for the escape of foreign bodies.

5. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that the fibre brushing element which is fixed on the cylinder rotates in one direction and the other fibre brushing element is mounted on separate bearing means for rotative movement, and power driven means are provided for independently rotating said second fibre brushing element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,970,330 Mason Aug. 14, 1934 2,674,162 Hang Apr. 6, 1954 2,719,463 Ha-ug Oct. 4, 1955 2,734,685 Saito Feb. 14, 1956 2,791,503 Lyon et a1 May 7, '1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 301,923 Switzerland Jan. 17, 1955 

